Diyalagoda Maha Vidyalaya wins new lease of life

SOON after Christmas, on December 26th 2004, the angry waves lashed with fury into the Western, Eastern and Northern coastal belt of our island.

The waves took with it many lives, buildings and vehicles. Among them were schools and places of worship.

Among the schools destroyed was 'Diyalagoda Maha Vidyalaya', a school closer to Beruwela. It had been a state-run secondary school catering to approximately 270 students of both sex from grade 6 to 11.

Situated in an area where fishing is a main occupation among various others, the school catered to many children who came from poor families and two orphanages at Maggona that could not afford to spend much money on the eduction of these children.

In the aftermath of the terrible disaster, feeling the urgent need for schools, in order not to allow the children to be used in childhood employment and other views in the absence of a school, under the guidance of Fr. Victor Silva, the Rector, St. Joseph's College the SJC Old Boys' Union joined hands with the teaching staff students and parents and secured approval from the specially appointed Education Ministry Rehabilitational Board to rehabilitate and re-build Diyalagoda Maha Vidyalaya.

Numerous known as well as unknown, organisations and personnel both local and worldwide joined hands with SJC by way of cash donations and other contributions.

The foundation stone was laid on February 1st 2005 and construction work began on February 15th, 2005 under the guidance of the special SJC Disaster Relief Committee of the Old Boys' Union with the co-chairmanship of Lakshman Silva and Hiran Cooray.

The Josephians' spirit not only started the project to rehabilitate and re-build the school but to upgrade the standards of education and sports by way of special training and catered to many extra needs of both, the students as well as the teaching staff.

The project, approved and monitored by the Ministry of Education, has been completed and the new school building and the renovated old block will be declared open on September 26, 2005 by the Chief Minister of Western Province Reginald Cooray.

The Josephians are indeed grateful and thankful to every person and organisation for their lavish and ready support and for having made it possible for the SJC Disaster Relief Project to re-build Diyalagoda Maha Vidyalaya within a short time.

We are also grateful to the State and the Education Ministry for granting us the opportunity to join hands in re-building mother Lanka.

- Ranjan Jeyarajah